Travis Hayes

In The Studio is a series dedicated to detailing the creative processes of Bay Area artists, a behind-the-scenes look at the myriad personalities that make up our music community. This entry features Travis Hayes recording three new tracks at Nu-Tone Studios.

Travis Hayes is a lot louder than I remember. The first time I saw the singer-songwriter perform was a rather low-key set at Amnesia which featured no more than an acoustic guitar, cello, and backup vocals for support. Now he has the Bay Area’s version of the E Street Band pushing his sound into the upper reaches of the rock n’ roll atmosphere.

When I walked into Pittsburgh-based Nu-Tone Studios — a gem tucked away in the city’s industrial outskirts — I was immediately greeted by a wall of scintillating lead guitars, an explosive drum beat and a booming bass line. The track turned out to be “Honest Man,” an anthemic burst of sound that Hayes himself described as “Coldplay meets Kings of Leon.” Yes, it’s certainly radio-friendly, but Travis’s raspy, almost Small Change-era Tom Waits voice and gritty lyrics grounded it in an edgier reality.

“Honest Man” was just one of the three tracks I witnessed for the day that revealed the transformation of an artist right before my eyes, from lone troubadour to swaggering bandleader. However, his method of bandleading is less creative tyrant and more jocular everyman. If I didn’t know any better, I would assume he was just another one of the guys in a markedly talented collective. Even though these are his songs and this is his band, Hayes was surprisingly open to input on “Honest Man,” the melodically soaring “Sleepless,” and the driving, alt-country stomp of “The Worst.”

His band is certainly a good bunch to receive input from. It’s a sort of Balanced Breakfast supergroup featuring musicians from numerous established bands in the Bay, including Brent Curriden from Lords of Sealand and Cave Clove, drummer Cade from Friends W/O Benefits and singer Emily Whitehurst from Survival Guide. It’s probably easy, then, to feel like the music is in capable hands, and it seemed to relieve some of the pressure involved in recording, especially when particular parts needed to be hammered out a little bit more. The environment was so relaxed at times that the session resembled hanging out with your friends after school than a laborious creative process. Though plenty of hard work was accomplished throughout the day, plenty of goofing off occurred as well: playing with cardboard cutouts of Yoda and various other pieces of Star Wars paraphernalia filling the studio; GIF exchanges that resulted in bursts of boyish laughter; bassist Travis Pacheco constantly talking about Megadeth and my amazement at the ease with which he could rattle off various lineup changes without hesitation.

It’s clear that this batch of recordings is Travis Hayes’s vision, but it is a group effort making it come to life. This fact became vividly clear when engineer Scott Goodrich suggested the whole group get involved on gang vocals to fortify the chorus of “Honest Man.” That meant hangers-on as well, including photographer/videographer and man behind Abbot Kinney, Jared Swanson, manager and fellow Bay Bridged writer Victor Valle, and, of course, me. This is the second time I’ve been caught in the middle of the recording process, pulled back into the fray like Al Pacino in The Godfather III. I’m no singer, but I wasn’t gonna say no like a square, so I joined in and attempted to refrain from cracking up as Cade made faces and Victor gesticulated wildly with his hands like a demented maestro. Somehow it ended up sounding alright. Hell, better than alright. It sounded great. As if the song wasn't already big enough, this group sent it into outer space.

Hayes isn’t the type to wear emotions on his sleeve. He saves that for his songs, and he’s more likely to respond to you with dry, self-depreciating humor than effusive exclamations. But after the final take of gang vocals I could see the excitement radiating from his face. He didn’t have to say a word, but I knew he was immensely proud of these tracks, his band, and the future of his music career. - The Bay Bridged

Favorite go-to places to eat/drink/hangout in the Bay?
These days I spend most my nights at Neck of the Woods in the Inner Richmond but would be lying if I didn't admit that some of my favorite nights have gone down at Thee Parkside in Potrero Hill. There's something about that place that brings out the wild in people, in a good way.

What can we expect from your Noise Pop Festival performance?
I will be covering Savage Garden's self-titled 1997 hit album in it's entirety. Haha, no but I am excited to play some stripped down versions of songs off my upcoming album Sleepless. I'll be throwing in a cover of one of my all time favorite songs too.

What’s something you must absolutely have with you on tour?
Podcasts for sure. I load up on podcasts before I head out on any tour. It's a great way to kill time and take a break from Spotify playlists for a bit. A few of my favorites are WTF w/ Marc Maron, Song Exploder and of course most things NPR.

What’s your pre-show ritual?
There is no way in hell I'm playing a show until I've had some whiskey. I'm not sure why but there's something about a glass of bourbon that gets me in the right head space to perform.

What’s your go-to hangover cure/festival survival tip?
Coconut water and a tall glass fresh squeezed orange juice from the local Taqueria! Never fails.

What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you on tour or during a show? My brother's friend got shot after our record release show at Bottom of the Hill in 2014. She was pulled over to the side of the road when someone came up to the car window and tried to mug her. She drove off and the gunman shot at her car. She was ok and the bullet only grazed her but it was crazy nonetheless. You tend to get comfortable in places you've lived in for a while and that was a reality check. Nothing is a sure thing, even on your best nights.

Favorite snack?
In this city, sushi and burritos are a constant for me. I'm not sure if either counts as a "snack" but I eat both weekly.

What’s ahead for you in 2016?
I’m looking forward to finally getting into the studio and recording Sleepless. It’s been a tough but rewarding record for me to write and I’m ready to share these new songs. I’m also looking forward to hitting the road with the full band this year and playing some new cities throughout the country. We’re heading out on a full West Coast run this April. - DotheBay

Shows that are meant to break your soul and patch it back together are tough for a crowd on a Friday night. You want to joke with your friends and unwind after a week of presumably hard work, the bar in the back boasts drink specials, and Saturday morning wouldn't be Saturday morning if you didn't sleep through the farmer's market yet again. But the last Friday night of Noise Pop at Inner Richmond's Neck of the Woods was an acoustic singer / songwriter affair with chairs set out for the lucky early birds. It was meant to be intimate, but the friction between the bar crowd talking over each other and the performers was palpable. Until John Moreland stepped onstage.
Let me preface all this by saying Friday was my third time seeing John Moreland play, and he always plays to a hushed room. Travis Hayes — who opened the night with his own acoustic narrative of "getting your shit together" and the encroaching question of settling down — had opened for Moreland two years ago at The Night Light to a much smaller crowd. Lilly Hiatt, Moreland's tour support, was the Nashville firecracker who cracked jokes and played songs like "Jesus Would Have Let Me Pick The Restaurant."

When Moreland stepped on-stage, an impatient voice from the back yelled, "OK, now time to listen!" And we did. He began by quietly greeting us with a "Hey, ya'all" and then playing "Hang Me In The Tulsa County Stars," the first track off of his most recent album, High on Tulsa Heat. At the end of that first song came thunderous cheers, an almost comical contrast from how disruptive they'd been while Lilly Hiatt played.

Moreland was raised in Boone County, Kentucky and Tulsa, Oklahoma, the latter of which is where he now lives when not touring. The Midwest (or my personal impression of the Midwest) hangs on every sung note or strummed guitar chord. The wide expansive loneliness, the communities tight-knit for generations, the unassuming approach to the daily grind. He encompasses it all with the sorrowful emotional spectrum of a man decades older than his own 30 years.

Most songs are gut-wrenchingly sad, and at other times incisively funny. Any religious references in lyrics aren't because Moreland is a pious man, but rather it was the lexicon in which he grew up.

There's an anxiety that comes with the responsibility of translating inexplicable moments for a third party. Thankfully, Moreland's voice instills peace. I'll let his first televised performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from a few weeks ago finish this review. Here's "Break My Heart Sweetly." - The Bay Bridged

Live interview and performance from Travis Hayes on BFF.fm - best frequencies forever. - BFF.fm - best frequencies forever

One night three years ago, a young singer-songwriter named Travis Hayes hit the stage at Amnesia to try out some new songs he’d been working on. Hayes was about to record his debut solo album, Young Daze, and was still perfecting the warm introspection and soul-searching that would ultimately shape the record.

In the crowd that night was an already established and well-loved figure in Bay Area music. Emily Whitehurst — one-time singer of North Bay pop-punkers Tsunami Bomb and current frontwoman of Survival Guide — approached Hayes after his acoustic set and suggested the two collaborate. Whitehurst ended up on Hayes’ 2013 debut single, “Warm Bodies,” but the two were so enamored with working together they began regularly sharing a stage.


Further recordings became an inevitability and now the pair performs together as part of Travis Hayes & The Young Daze, a band Hayes describes as “an ever growing and evolving project,” thanks to its “rotating cast of Bay Area musicians.” The beating heart of the band, of course, is Hayes and Whitehurst.

“We’ve learned so much from each other,” 27-year-old Hayes enthuses. “We’ve found a nice space where we can take a vocal idea and really bring it to life. I tend to write the initial melody line and Emily creates amazing harmonies. And the full-band sound has been really well received.

On March 28, Travis Hayes & The Young Daze played to a packed house at Doc’s Lab to celebrate the release of Love Songs, a heartfelt EP of acoustic folk-pop that Hayes originally wrote as private gifts for loved ones — “Kate’s Song” for his girlfriend; “Megan’s Song” and “Night Swimming” for his best friend’s wedding.

“Somewhere along the line it made sense to share these songs with everyone,” Hayes explains. “But I also really wanted to capture what Emily and I have been spending the last year or so working on together. Songwriting and storytelling has always been cathartic for me.”

The new tracks proved popular at this year’s South By Southwest Festival in Austin, where the quintet was repeatedly offered extra shows after its performances. Now Hayes and Whitehurst are excited to start working up enough new material for a full album.

“Truthfully,” Hayes says, “everything’s been said before — but no one is telling the story like we tell it, because it’s our own. That’s the beauty of art. And we’re ready to do it all. . . I hope folks can warm up to that idea, ’cause we’re not going anywhere anytime soon.” - SF Weekly

Travis Hayes has a heartfelt acoustic sound that stays with you. If you want your girlfriend to miss you while she’s on vacation send her Love Songs, sung by Travis and Emily Whitehurst. A vocal duo whose harmony sounds as natural together as it is brutal on the ol’ heart strings. You throw the Young Daze in the mix and the pace quickens, you move perhaps from “a sea of tears and spilled whiskey”, to something that sounds more like morning sex and Irish coffee. Travis Hayes and The Young Daze will be performing along with some other fun bands; Curious Quail & Bonnie and The BANG BANG at the Great American Music Hall June 27. We had the pleasure of asking Travis a few questions about music, storytelling, and his love for the city by the bay, he’s a good friend to our site and his band is rad, enjoy: - Broke Ass Stuart

Travis Hayes
I may be a sucker for the acoustic, heartfelt, singer-songwriter types, but Travis Hayes is one of my new favorite artists that I’ve come across. Having shared the stage with artists including 3 Doors Down, Daughtry and The Rocket Summer, Travis Hayes has a promising career of himself. Our recommendation: crack open a bottle of wine or whiskey (apple juice if you’re not of age), and sit yourself down with Young Daze (Acoustic).
Where to catch Travis Hayes: 3.17 – 11am – Balanced Breakfast @ The Jackalope; 3.20 – 7pm – The ATX Overload Festival @ Spinner’s; 3.21 – 7pm – Tofu BBQ Blowout. - Lucy Out Loud

This past weekend, Thee Parkside in San Francisco played host to the 2nd Annual Rock Out With Your Chalk Out benefit show. The proceeds from the show all went to the Miraloma Elementary and Blue Bear Music schools. The event began in the afternoon, with some of the school’s star pupils rocking out on stage. I was only able to catch the ‘adult’ portion of the event which began at around 8pm with Eric Melvin (The Melvinator) (NOFX) getting the crowd warmed up with his unique style of DJing, mashing up classic punk songs with different beats.

First acoustic act to the stage was Travis Hayes. His heartfelt lyrics, powerful voice, and resonating guitar really set the tone for the night. It was to be a reflective, introspective night with some great acoustic noise. Acoustic shows are always a bit different for me, as I typically saturate myself with fast, blaring, electric guitars and gritty vocals (the grit would of course rear its head with Ragan). Hayes just released a new single, “Warm Bodies”, which he shared for all to enjoy. You can listen to it here if you haven’t yet.

Uke-Hunt took the stage next complete with melodica, ukulele, and stand-up bass. Uke-Hunt is a supergroup of sorts, with Spike Slawson (Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, Swingin’ Utters) on ukulele and vocals, Randy Burk (Small-Time Napoleons, Filthy Thieving Bastards) on various percussion instruments and vocals, Jamin Barton (Kelley Stoltz, The Titan Ups, Ramshackle Romeos, Bone Cootes and the Living Wrecks) on saxophone, melodica, harmonica and various other janky instruments and Joe Reposo (Lagwagon, King City, The Real McKenzies) on stand-up bass. While the band seems to have original material, the majority of their set is comprised of covers, most memorable of which was their cover of the Kink’s song “Animal Farm”.

Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio followed Uke-Hunt, and what more can be said. It’s Matt fuckin Skiba. This guy has made girls wet and guys cry for almost two decades, and tonight was no different. One of the first Alkaline Trio shows I ever went to was in Chicago definitely over a decade ago. I’ll never forget Hot Water Music fans sitting in the middle of the pit as Skiba took the stage for a little guest appearance. I never really liked that memory, and I am happy that it has been replaced with a an acoustic version of “Goodbye Forever”, which is probably my all-time favorite Trio song. While the plugged-in version does a little more for me, the acoustic had an energy all its own.

Chuck Ragan. The man. The myth. The legend. A couple Punk Rock Bowlings ago, I saw Chuck Ragan performing his new work, the 2011 album “Covering Ground”. I still listen to this album every week, and of course I had some hopes of songs he would play. The absolute power, energy, heart, and grit behind his voice is ridiculously moving. Then add to it the lumberjack style, and you’ve got the complete package. The new American voice. His songs of being on the road, loneliness, running to the bottle, and life decisions share themes that I believe everyone can relate to. While not all my favorites were performed, it’s probably for the better. I realized that if he had played “Wish On The Moon”, I most likely would have curled up into a ball and cried like a baby. Ragan is getting ready to release a new album, “Til Midnight”, this March through SideOneDummy. - Dying Scene

Travis Hayes at The Independent, Sept. 15 - SF Weekly

Local music was in the air last Thursday at The Independent. The night was filled with rock ballads, country notes, and — as SF-based headliner Travis Hayes promised — some music that spoke straight to the hearts of all those sad boys and girls out there.

The evening kicked off with two local bands, Vandella and M. Lockwood Porter. While we didn’t get to see Vandella take the stage, we heard their groovy beats had the crowd moving. Berkeley-based M. Lockwood Porter and his band then took the audience on a toe-tapping Americana romp to celebrate the release of their album How to Dream Again. With a harmonica at his mouth and just the right touch of country twang, Porter had us thinking of Bob Dylan in his Nashville Skyline years. Comparisons aside, Porter has an energy that’s entirely his own.

At the end of the set, Porter was joined by both Vandella and Hayes for a rollicking cover of “Dancing in the Dark.” Looking out at these Bay Area artists and the wild audience was certainly a beautiful sight to see — and one that thoroughly reaffirmed that the SF music scene is alive and kicking.

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Travis Hayes takes the stage at The Independent.
Travis Hayes takes the stage at The Independent.

Despite the sorrowful lyrics found in many of Hayes’ tunes, it certainly looked like he was having the time of his life when he took the stage for his set. With friends, family and a whole slew of fans singing along, Hayes beamed while rocking out with his gang of merry bandmates. Hayes, who is currently working on his forthcoming LP Sleepless, played tunes from both Young Daze and Love Songs. A core member of the SF music scene, Hayes has made a steady rise to attention, playing the beloved Noise Pop earlier this year and performing at hallowed venues like the Great American Music Hall and Harvard and Stone in Los Angeles.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Travis Hayes show without an acoustic song or two, and the singer-songwriter did not disappoint. While the audience swayed and held up lighters (and the occasional cellphone), Hayes did what he does best — he sang some sad songs. Hayes’ gravelly voice and quiet strumming lent a somber tone to the set, particularly when the singer spoke about just how grateful he was to be celebrating his 10th year living in SF. Despite the heartfelt moment, it wasn’t too long before the rest of the band came back to close out the evening with some jamming tunes that left the crowd in an uproar of applause.

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20160915-TravisHayesatTheIndependent-IMG_4245 - Eventseeker

Travis Hayes stopped by to chat about hitting his 10th San Franniversary, how the SF music scene is as weird and wonderful as ever, and to invite us all to his headlining gig at The Independent on 9/15, his last before transforming the band into a hip-hop project. - BFF.FM

Taylor Swift takes on Apple Music. - KPIX

Home » Band » Travis Hayes puts on astonishing headlining show at Independent in SF
Travis Hayes puts on astonishing headlining show at Independent in SF
Contributed by Sean Liming
Posted on September 17, 2016

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Travis Hayes headlined at the Independent in San Francisco on Thursday night. Sean Liming was there to bring you photos of the show. He had this to say about the performance,

Travis Hayes put on an astonishing show last night at the Independent in San Francisco. With family, friends and fans in the crowd, they cheered and sang along with Travis as he sang songs from his new album “Love Songs” as well as other songs. Switching from “jam sessions” with his band mates to settling down with his acoustic guitar, then to bring the band back on stage to get the crowd amplified once again, Travis Hayes did know how to put on a show. The very humble Travis Hayes “isn’t afraid or the type to wear emotions on his sleeve”, but he sure shows it in his songs.
Check out the photos from the night: - Music Junkie Press

Though he currently serves as the acting chairman of the Sad Boys Club crew, singer-songwriter Travis Hayes has a good reason to be happy: this September marks his ten year anniversary in the Bay Area. M. Lockwood Porter and Vandella will also pop champagne that night, celebrating their own album and single releases respectively. Expect a show that is equal parts acoustic sincerity and melody-driven rock & roll. – Ben Einstein - SF Sounds

The spirit of San Francisco is alive and well, and Backyard Paradise proves it. Let the name speak for itself. Backyard Paradise is everything that you imagine when you think of San Francisco. A group that believes in bringing together the community to showcase creative talent and maintaining "psychedelic consciousness" through love and self-expression Backyard Paradise recently threw one of their unforgettable get togethers.

This time around, the party took place between Guerrero and Liberty Street near Dolores Park with breathtaking views of the city. This all day event consisted of bands, booze, poetry, and even a tea party. Plus, DoTheBay was in attendance with our very own "flabongo" to spice up the party! - DoTheBay

SAN FRANCISCO, CA- Travis Hayes is set to close at The Independent (628 Divisadero St. San Francisco, CA 94117) on Thursday September 15th at 8 PM. He will be playing with M. Lockwood Porter, and Vandella. Advance tickets will be $12 and tickets at the door will be $14.
Travis Hayes has been taking the west coast by storm — headlining the Great American Music Hall in May, Neck of the Woods in June, and performing at Harvard and Stone in Los Angeles. Simply put by Music Junkie Press, “If you are from the Bay Area and haven’t been to a Travis Hayes show, then you are missing out.”

Travis Hayes headlines The Independent on Thursday, September 15th.
www.theindependentsf.com/event/1259919
Name?
-Travis Hayes

Age?
-28

Occupation?
-Singer/Songwriter

What neighborhood do you live in?
-Inner Richmond

Best money saving tip?
-Wear all black and make less trips to the laundromat.

What do you refuse to spend money on?
-Facebook Ads

Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
-Last year I bought a brand spankin’ new black acoustic guitar.

How’d that feel?
-Scary but necessary.

Favorite cheap eat?
-Tommy’s Joynt

Favorite dive bar?
-Thee Parkside

Best deal you’ve ever gotten?
-I played an Apple event earlier this year and they gave me a brand new Macbook Pro for a 30min set. It felt a little like winning the lottery.

Favorite free thing to do?
-I love hiking around the Bay Area with friends.

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?
-Oh man, I’d probably buy a car or tour van… I haven’t owned a car in over 10 years.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life?
-I found the woman of my dreams, we live in San Francisco, and I make a living through music. It’s a pretty damn good life.

Do you own my book?
-I do have one at my place. I think it belongs to my girlfriend.

Best hangover cure?
-20oz Fresh Squeezed OJ

Are you a hipster?
-I’ve only tried two of the twenty La Croix flavors… how many does it take? - Broke Ass Stuart

The thought of freshly-made cookies and concert tickets hand-delivered by a musician you paid to see sounds like a project you wouldn’t picture most artists tackling, but Travis Hayes has made it part of his pre-show routine.

The indie-rocker says the idea was inspired by a New York musician, and he first tested it out on fans who pre-purchased tickets to his concert at The Great American Music Hall back in May.

“I like doing something that's fun for everyone regardless of whether they like your band or your music in the first place,” Hayes said. “If anything, they get a free cookie out of it.”

Travis Hayes, by Estefany Gonzalez

Hayes also offered a cookie pre-sale for his upcoming show at The Independent on September 15 with his accompanying band The Young Daze. “It’s a huge show for us. The Independent is an awesome venue,” Hayes said. “I don't think I’ve seen a show at The Independent that I haven’t loved.”

Hayes and his cohorts have spent the majority of the past year recording his newest album Sleepless. He’s excited to take a break from the studio and focus his energy on his first performance at The Independent with supporting acts M. Lockwood Porter and Vandella.

“We’re headlining, which totally blows me away, and I’m extremely humbled by the whole experience,” Hayes said. “We’re playing with some of our favorite local bands and musician friends. It’s going to a big party celebrating really great music in San Francisco.”

Travis Hayes, by Estefany Gonzalez

Hayes started as a solo singer-songwriter when he first moved to the Bay Area. It was a different direction from the various punk and hardcore bands he was used to playing with at the time. “I didn’t really know how to play guitar that well, and I definitely couldn’t sing. I kind of needed to play with other people to cover that up I guess,” Hayes said. “When I moved to San Francisco where I knew literally no one, I started focusing on my own stuff.”

Moving away from his hometown forced Hayes to create a sound all his own. His music is raw, real, and touches upon heartfelt moments in life. Since his first album, Young Daze, Hayes has added a full-time backing band to the mix.

“It’s nice to have that camaraderie and to have people on the road with you, and people you can lean on and talk to and get through things with,” Hayes said. "It kind of makes the lonely a little less alone.”

Travis Hayes, by Estefany Gonzalez

What Hayes enjoys the most about his accompanying band is that most of the members also play in other Bay Area bands. The Young Daze consist of a rotating cast of his close friends and favorite local Bay Area musicians. He says this makes him feel a sense of community.

“Everyone who's been in the band will forever be a part of The Young Daze,” he said. "As much as I would selfishly love to have all of them all of the time, it would be a little unrealistic to have a dozen people in my band for every show.”

The lineup for The Independent will be stripped-down version of the band, including drummer Cade Weidenhaft, lead guitarist Brent Curriden, and bass player Dakota Salazar.

“The four of us will be a power quartet,” Hayes said. “It’s all the same songs and we’re playing a lot of new songs off this new record.” - The Bay Bridged

Since the release of Young Daze in 2014, gravelly voiced Travis Hayes has been churning out guitar-heavy indie-rock bangers that are as contemplative as they are lively. Hayes, who is celebrating 10 years of living in San Francisco, will take the stage at The Independent, along with two other local acts, Vandella (from San Francisco) and M. Lockwood Porter (from Berkeley). Porter will play tracks from his upcoming folk-rock album, How To Dream Again, while Vandella will bring a much-needed female touch with sultry, throaty vocals from frontwoman Tracey Holland. For a triple-dose of hometown acts, each with their own interpretation of rock, don’t miss this night. - SF Weekly